CSS Criminology Juvenile Delinquency and Justice Syllabus

Juvenile Delinquency and Justice syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Juvenile Delinquency and Justice in CSS Criminology, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Understanding Juvenile Delinquency

   4 topics

   • Meaning and Definitions of Delinquency
   • Juvenile Delinquent vs Status Offender
   • Causes and Correlates of Delinquency
   • Official Statistics of Juvenile Delinquency
2. 2

   Juvenile Justice System

   5 topics

   • Role of Police in Juvenile Justice
   • Juvenile Courts and Pretrial, Trial and Sentencing
   • Probation and Diversion Alternatives
   • Juvenile Correctional Institutions
   • Juvenile Justice System Act 2018

Juvenile Delinquency and Justice flashcards for CSS Criminology

25 of 51 cards from the Juvenile Delinquency and Justice deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is the general meaning of "juvenile delinquency"?

   Participation in illegal behavior by a minor (a person below the statutory age of majority) — acts that would be crimes if committed by an adult, plus status offenses applicable only to juveniles.

2. How does the Juvenile Justice System Act 2018 (Pakistan) define a "juvenile"?

   A child who has not attained the age of 18 years at the time of commission of an offence.

3. What is the etymological/legal root of the term "delinquency"?

   From the Latin 'delinquere', meaning to fail, omit, or be wanting — i.e., a failure to perform a required duty or to abstain from prohibited conduct.

4. Define a "status offense" in juvenile justice.

   An act that is prohibited only because of the offender's status as a minor (e.g., truancy, running away, curfew violation, underage drinking) and would not be an offense if committed by an adult.

5. What is the key distinction between a juvenile delinquent and a status offender?

   A delinquent commits an act that is a crime for anyone (theft, assault); a status offender commits an act prohibited only because of age/minor status (truancy, running away). Delinquents violate criminal law; status offenders violate age-based rules.

6. What are the three broad categories of juvenile offenders?

   1) Delinquents (commit acts that are crimes for adults too); 2) Status offenders (acts illegal only for minors); 3) Dependent/neglected children (in need of care/protection rather than punishment).

7. What is "parens patriae" and why is it central to the juvenile justice system?

   Latin for "parent of the country/nation" — the doctrine that the state acts as guardian for those unable to protect themselves (children). It justifies the rehabilitative, protective, non-punitive orientation of juvenile courts.

8. Name the major sociological/biological CATEGORIES of causes of delinquency.

   Biological/individual factors, psychological factors, family factors, school factors, peer/group factors, economic factors (poverty), and community/neighborhood factors.

9. What family-related factors are correlated with delinquency?

   Broken homes, poor parental supervision, parental conflict/abuse, family criminality, large family size, inconsistent or harsh discipline, and lack of attachment/affection.

10. How does differential association theory (Sutherland) explain delinquency?

    Delinquency is learned through interaction with others; a person becomes delinquent when definitions favorable to law violation exceed definitions unfavorable to it.

11. What does social control theory (Hirschi) say causes delinquency?

    Delinquency results when an individual's bond to society is weak or broken. The four elements of the bond are: attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief.

12. What are Hirschi's four elements of the social bond?

    Attachment (to others), Commitment (to conventional goals), Involvement (in conventional activities), and Belief (in shared values/legitimacy of law).

13. How does strain/anomie theory (Merton) explain delinquency?

    Strain arises when society emphasizes culturally approved goals (wealth/success) but denies legitimate means to achieve them; the resulting frustration pushes some youth toward delinquency (innovation/deviance).

14. What is the "age-crime curve" relevant to juvenile delinquency?

    The empirical finding that offending rises sharply in adolescence, peaks in the late teens (around 15-19), and declines steadily in adulthood — a near-universal pattern.

15. What did the Gluecks' research contribute to understanding delinquency?

    Sheldon and Eleanor Glueck's longitudinal study identified family factors (discipline, supervision, affection, cohesion) as key predictors of delinquency and emphasized early onset and continuity of antisocial behavior.

16. What is meant by "correlates" of delinquency (vs. causes)?

    Factors statistically associated with delinquency (age, gender, race, social class, peer association, family structure) without necessarily being proven causes — risk markers rather than direct causal agents.

17. What gender pattern is consistently found in official juvenile delinquency statistics?

    Boys are far more likely to be officially involved in delinquency than girls, with the gender gap largest for serious/violent offenses and smallest for status offenses.

18. What are the THREE main sources of data on juvenile delinquency?

    1) Official statistics (police/court records, e.g., UCR arrest data); 2) Self-report surveys; 3) Victimization surveys.

19. What is the "dark figure of crime" and how does it affect juvenile statistics?

    The large volume of unreported and undetected delinquency not captured in official records, meaning official statistics understate the true extent of juvenile offending.

20. Why are self-report studies important for measuring juvenile delinquency?

    They reveal hidden delinquency missed by official records, show that delinquency is far more widespread across social classes than official data suggest, and reduce reliance on police discretion as a filter.

21. What is the first decision point/role of police in the juvenile justice process?

    Police are the gatekeepers — they make the initial contact and exercise wide discretion to either divert/release with a warning, refer to social services, or take the juvenile into custody and refer to court.

22. What discretionary options do police have when encountering a juvenile offender?

    Release with a warning, informal counseling/community referral, referral to parents, diversion to a program, or formal arrest and referral to juvenile court — chosen based on offense seriousness, prior record, and demeanor.

23. Under the Juvenile Justice System Act 2018, who must be informed when a juvenile is arrested?

    The juvenile's guardian and the concerned probation officer must be informed immediately, and the guardian/officer is to be present during proceedings; the juvenile must be produced before the court within 24 hours.

24. What is a "Juvenile Court" and what makes it distinct from an adult criminal court?

    A specialized court for handling juvenile cases that emphasizes rehabilitation over punishment, uses informal/closed proceedings, protects the juvenile's identity, and acts under parens patriae for the child's welfare.

25. What are the three procedural stages of juvenile court handling?

    1) Pretrial (intake, detention/bail decision, diversion); 2) Trial/adjudication (determination of involvement in the offense); 3) Disposition/sentencing (deciding treatment, probation, or placement).

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